Current Affairs September 7, 2018

India and France have signed an implementation agreement on “MOBILISE YOUR CITY” (MYC) here last evening in the presence of Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Shri Alexander Ziegler, Ambassador of France in India.

Mobilise Your City (MYC) is part of an international initiative which is supported by the French and the German Governments and was launched at 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) meeting in December, 2015.

The MYC aims at supporting three pilot cities viz. Nagpur, Kochi and Ahmedabad in their efforts to reduce their Green House Gas (GHG) emissions related to urban transport by implementing urban mobility plans at local level and to help India at national level to improve their sustainable transport policy.

Indian navy ships and aircraft have arrived in Sri Lanka to take part in the joint exercise SLINEX-2018 to be held with Sri Lankan navy at Trincomalee

The exercise which was previously held biannually has been converted to an annual event from this year to enhance cooperation in the maritime domain and to further strengthen mutual trust and interoperability between the two navies.

The scope of the week-long exercise has been significantly increased this year with three ships, two maritime patrol aircraft and one helicopter participating from the Indian side.

4. 6th edition of Bengaluru Space Expo inaugurated

The 6th edition of the biennial Bengaluru Space Expo was inaugurated by ISRO Chairman Dr.K Sivan in Bengaluru.

The three day event will showcase industry participation in Indian space programme.

ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan said that the Indian Space Research Organisation wants to offer manufacturing of PSLV and small satellite launch vehicles along with small satellites to private industries.

He said France will provide space medicines for Indian astronauts who will be part of India's first Manned Space Mission Gaganyan.

With him putting his weight behind the cause of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Foundation, the campaign for the welfare of the soldier (jawan) and the farmer (kisan) community of the country is set to get a further boost.

Akshay Kumar was made the first honorary ambassador of Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Foundation.

6. Saurabh Chaudhary sets new shooting record in junior ISSF World Championship

India's Saurabh Chaudhary beat his own world record in the men's junior 10m Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Championship in Changwon.

Saurabh not just set a new world record but also climbed to the top of the podium with Lim Hojin of Korea and India's Arjun Singh Cheema finishing third and fourth respectively.

Saurabh shot a total of 245.5 to break his own world record he had set in June.

7. PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate first Global Mobility Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Global Mobility Summit called MOVE, which will deliberate on steps to promote electric vehicles and shared mobility.

The summit will deliberate on five themes including comprehensive: electrification and alternative fuels, reinventing public transport, goods transport and logistics and data analytics and mobility.

The two day summit is being organized by the government think-tank NITI Aayog.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said that the main aim through the summit is to revolutionise the way people travel in India, along with making more connected, shared and seamless.

8. Poonam Khetrapal Singh re-elected in World Health Organisation

Poonam Khetrapal Singh was elected as Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia for a second five-year term, World Health Organisation.

Singh's candidature was unopposed, as the 11 member countries of WHO South-East Asia Region met at the ongoing Regional Committee session to elect the next Regional Director.

She had served as civil servant in India as member of Indian Administrative Services for over two decades. She was the Health Secretary of Punjab.